Lyrics
(Folk song)
Call: Will you lend my mother your frying pan? She’ll send it back on Sunday.
Response: Aunt Mary’s got our frying pan, And it won’t be back till Monday.
Call: Can you lend my ma a pair of tongs? Our Johnny lost them playing.
Response: My mother will not lend the tongs, That’s what she’s always saying.
Call: Will you lend my mother your washing tub? She wants to start her washing.
Response: My mother won’t let her tub get wet, It spoils so with the splashing.
Call: Will you lend my mother your looking glass? My father broke ours shaving.
Response: Our Susan wants to do her hair, It’s lovely, long and waving.
Call (spoken): Then you won’t lend us your frying pan?
Response (spoken): No!
Call (spoken): Nor your tongs?
Response (spoken): No!
Call (spoken): Nor your washing tub?
Response (spoken): No!
Call (spoken): Nor your looking glass?
Response (spoken): No!
Call (spoken): Then will you lend us your cat to catch a lot of mice?
Response (spoken): Yes! and she will bring them to us.
Game
Formation: The class is divided into two groups standing in two lines facing each other: Group 1 is “Call,” and Group 2 is “Response.” Optional: Students can hold hands or interlace their arms. Standing behind Group 2 is one student, who is the “Cat.”
When the last phrase is spoken, the Cat jumps out and tries to tag someone in Group 1. The tagged student becomes the new Cat, who stands behind Group 1. Groups 1 and 2 switch roles.
Optional: Start with two “Cats,” one behind each group. When a new student is tagged, that student becomes another Cat behind the same group as the Cat who tagged. When Groups 1 and 2 switch roles, the Cat behind Group 1 tags someone, who joins that cat. Each time the groups switch roles, either have the most recent cat tag one student, or all cats behind that group can each tag someone.
See also
- Subject: cats
- Activities: games
- Form: call & response
- Harmony: chords I & V
- Scale: major
Source: Twice 55 games with music: The red book, Peter William Dykema, 1924
- PDF of song with chords
- MIDI file
- Listen to the melody
